The Masque's of the Keeper
by Allunissage
Summary: Magical Enslavement of Squibs when Harry is only four years old.
1. Chapter 1

The tendril of sunlight cast its light before me. I leaped over it, running as fast as a doe in the heat of the hunt. After me, men I had no knowledge of, came quick as lightning, apparating every so often to remove the distance I had scored for myself. Why they did not shoot charms or spells at me I did not know.

Along side of me, to my left, the waterway coursed with life yet, the Gondola men who should have been out and about were not rowing in the dull grey weather of the morning. With the dull weather came a chill that I felt even after the amount of running I'd done. In my arms, the chains to my necklace weighed me down.

Before me was a sharp turn that led to a dead end. I was between a brick wall and one of the many waterways of Venice. I could jump into the water and hope to escape or wait until the men caught me once again. This was not the first time I'd tried to escape. Today made the fourth attempt in a month eversince my 15th birthday. None of the other slaves gave the men of The Keeper such trouble. For sure I would get a beating if caught. I readied myself to jump into the water that looked cold. Before I could, a boy not much older than myself apparated in suddenly and grabbed my arm before apparating us to a dark room. I screamed all the way, so much so that when we arrived, he put his hand over my mouth and pinned me to the ground.

I stopped screaming in shock of his boldness. He took the time to look me over, especially my clothing. Shame and embarrassment raced to my cheeks, making them tinged red. I would never have chosen the clothes I wore if given a choice. With the appearance of Carnival, The Keeper had issued everyone gold clothes. The women had standard issue gold; gold skirts with slits up to the thighs, and small gold tops. Men wore gold harem pants. I called us his slaves, he called us his Children.

"Look, if I remove my hand, can you be quiet? Stop screaming? I won't do you any harm." The boy spoke English like me. I nodded that I could keep quiet. He slowly removed his hand from my mouth. I took a large breathe while he got off of me. "I'm sorry I pulled you so quickly like that. You looked like you needed help. I saw those men chasing you and noticed they were wizards. Why were they chasing you?" He questioned. I didn't really want to answer him but as he was my rescuer, I felt I owed him something for risking his life.

"I'm a slave. A squib slave. There is a man here in Venice, he collects girls and boys when they turn 11 and find out they haven't been admitted into wizarding schools around the world. He kidnaps them and enslaves them until they turn 20 where I think he kills them. We don't know what happens to them" The boys face was aghast.

"That's more serious than I though. I thought maybe you just skipped out on a tab or something. Let me get my Dad. He's an Auror. He can help catch those guys." The boy motioned for me to stay and slipped out of the dark room we were in. I got up as silently as possible and looked out the bedroom door. I could see stairs leading down to a door. How could I trust this boy. He could be working with those men. I made my escape.

I swiftly and silently tipped down the stairs and out the front door into a courtyard. The courtyard opened up into the street which I jogged down, ignoring the dull ache in my scuffed up bare feet. I happened upon a complex of apartments with the laundry hanging out to dry. I managed to find a dress in my size and a coat to put over it as well as socks and a pair of boots from someones doorway. I tucked my old outfit into a plant pot in case they decided to put a finding spell on it. Around my neck I still wore my chain necklace and my gold wristbands. They covered the circle tattoos around my wrist of butterflies that had been placed there when I'd first been taken. The necklace had to be taken off with a spell which was impossible for me since I could not cast spells. I managed to pull the coat collar closer around my neck so you could not see it was there.

When the sun was fully up in the sky my stomach was screaming in hunger. I managed to beg enough money off of tourists who believed my story of a sick grandmother to get a decent meal. I sat tucked in the back of a restaurant, trying to think of what my next plan should be. I didn't know where I could go. My first thought was back to my parents but people would be watching there for sure. I'd never make it or if I did, my dad would have to fight them. He was weak by himself and my mother wasn't much better. Both came from Pureblood backgrounds but they'd both been in Hufflepuff when they were my age and not worth a damn. My older brother Miles could help. He'd been a Ravenclaw but he too had a weak backbone. His knowledge would be useless. I thought long and hard about all of the people who'd maybe be beneficial to me or who might be able to help. I was taken at a young age four years ago and I only knew of the world I was currently living in; fear and frustration. A small but nervous light dinged in my head of a place I thought I could possibly go.

My parents were always talking of The Order of the Phoenix. Some of their school-aged friends had become members. My safest bet was to go to their headquarters. Now my only problem was I didn't know where it was located. I knew it was in England and that was where I should aim to go. Italy was far from England though. I would have to be careful since the distance was so far and there were people out to get me. I couldn't take a train, that is what they would expect. I would have to hitchhike.

I went down to the wharf and caught a ride across the Laguna Veneta with some fishermen. From there I caught a ride with a chef from Padova, using my small Italian vocabulary to get my point across. I had to walk to the other side of Padova until someone picked me up. By that time it was nightfall. A little old lady on her way to Milan gave me a ride. I slept through the ride until she dropped me off alongside the road on the Northern Outskirts. She seemed worried for me and wanted to take me father but was in Milan to visit family and couldn't escape to take me. I walked for 20 miles as the sun was coming up. I managed to catch a ride with a sheep farmer taking his sheep in the back of a pick up from Monvo to Rothenburg, Switzerland. His ride was really helpful and since he made the trip four times a month, we weren't searched by Border Patrol.

From Rothenburg everything was much slower. It was already almost dinner. I'd had nothing to eat in almost a day besides a little jerky offered to me by the sheep farmer. I managed to get as far as Colmar, France, stopping four times to switch cars. Once I hit Colmar, I found an empty barn to sleep in. When the morning came, I woke to find a farmer staring at me. He spoke to me in rapid French. I just had to stare. I only knew English and Italian. Thankfully he spoke a bit of English. I told him I was trying to get home and he offered me a meal. He lived alone and was happy to have someone else to cook for. He was a life safer. When I had a little food in my belly and a bath and a fresh change of clothes. I thanked over and over again and headed on my way. I got to Paris by nightfall, having to walk again for a good portion until someone willing came along. This time it was a group of boys and girls. They were touring Europe and offered me a place to bunk and a ride with them to England as long as I didn't mind staying with them two days. They'd even provide food.


	2. Chapter 2

Riding along with The Spooks, as they called themselves, was full of fun and almost made me forget my plight. We got a flat once before we hit Paris. In Paris, I stayed in the hotel room instead of going out with them to explore. They had money and I didn't. Even after I was offered to be payed for, I refuses. I went out and begged for money for food and as much as I could to pay for the ferry fee to cross over the ocean to England.

Two days we stayed in Paris. I was almost lulled into staying with them. They begged me to stay. Andrew in particular was adamant. He flirted with me. I tried not to take him too seriously. I was in danger and he could be too possibly if I was found by my captors. I had to leave them when we reached England and try to find The Order. My clues were few and it would occupy my time.

After yet another flat, we finally made it to the ferry crossing after 4 days. We slept in the van until we made it to land. I didn't even wake up and slept all the way to London. I parted ways in tears when they reached their hotel, leaving them and heading to the only area I knew of that housed wizards; Kensington.

In Kensington, apparently there were secret signs on how to find the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. You just had to know what they were. I didn't have a clue what they were though and I was worried it would take days to figure them out.

Arriving in Kensington, I spent the day walking around and looking and begging money for food. When night fell, I found an empty, safe looking place to fall asleep. Only the first light of the day woke me up to birds chirping and a slight mist everywhere, even on my chilled skin. If I did this again, I was going to need a jacket.

It was another day of searching. I found nothing that sparked my memory or anything that could seem to lead to anywhere. There were no wizard looking types out and about either. I was getting worried that I was in the wrong place until the sun was almost down and I finally noticed it; arrows.

The arrows pointed North. I went North. I found more arrows which pointed more north. Finally I reached a pair that pointed east. I finally followed the path to Poplar, to an old abandoned Office Building. It had all the signs of being old, torn up, and graffiti everywhere. It had a giant X on the door though which led me to believe this was it.

The door was jammed. I couldn't get it open until someone pulled on the other side and I fell into the room, not expecting anything. I looked up into the eyes of a redhead and a blond and relief wasn't what I felt when I noticed their menacing glares.


	3. Chapter 3

"And what are you doing here, girl?" The redhead asked me. Before I could answer, they helped pick me up off the ground and dragged me back out the door. "You aren't supposed to be in here. Didn't you notice the private property sign? It means no trespassing. Now run along home."

"I need the help of the order!" I shouted out him, before they could close the door. The men just stared at me oddly.

"The order? We don't know anything about that. Now run along home." They turned to leave.

"I'm a squib. There are men chasing after me! Aren't you supposed to help protect people from evil forces? If they catch me I'll be sent back! They'll whip me again and beat me and possibly kill me!" Now I had their attention. They came over cautiously.

"And why would they do that to a squib? You're like a muggle and very unimportant." The blond said.

"I don't know why! There are more like me. The Keeper collects us, using us as slaves when we turn 11 and realize we're squibs. When you reach 20, he kills you. You're too old for his pedophilic ways. Please help me!" I begged. They didn't believe me but the redhead shrugged and pulled me inside anyways.

"We'll ask dad what he's heard at the ministry. He may know if what she says is true. In the mean time, we could always lock her up." I tensed at that. Another cage. This one would be better, but I still didn't want to be locked away.

"Can't you just leave me in the doorway? I promise I won't get in the way. I don't want to be locked up." They didn't even bother looking at me as they dragged me into an empty room save a bed and a dresser with an owl on it. The owl was asleep, cooing dreamily. Forced in, I was locked away.

Hours felt like days. I couldn't see the outside world, I could only watch the owl sleep and try to get some rest of my own but everything was fitful. My dreams were full of my pursuers, chasing me down alley ways back in Venice. I thought of the boy that had helped me out and felt a little guilt at leaving. I'm sure he would have gotten in trouble for making up stories. Maybe his father would believe him but it was doubtful.

Food was brought to me twice and I deducted from the fact that the first meal was breakfast food and the second was a sandwich, that it was around noon when the second meal was brought. I'd been in that room for over 12 hours. It had felt like days. Finally, they let me out and brought me to a dining area where several new people sat around eating food. A plate was put in front of me and they watched me while I ate, hardly a word being said. Distrust played like fire in their eyes. Wizards never really trusted squibs.

When I was finished, a napkin was handed to me by an older, graying man who introduced himself as Author Weasley, head of the Order of the Phoenix's Muggle relations department. I nodded curtly to him. He was the only one whom I felt didn't hate me because of what I was. "I've got a few questions for you, starting with who are you?"

"I'm Dior Burberry. My parents are Hestor and Dianne Burberry, both Hufflepuffs and my brother is Miles Burberry, also a Hufflepuff. I was kidnapped when I was 11 by a man called The Keeper when I found out I couldn't go to Hogwarts because I was a squib. I'm 15 and I've been missing for four years." I answered.

"The Keeper. I've heard of this man and I'd heard rumors of things he does. Do you have the marks he supposedly gives out?" Mr. Weasley asked of me. I nodded and pulled up my coat sleeves and showed him the tattoos under my magicked bracelets and the necklace that I could never take off.

"It's magicked on. I can't remove it since I don't know magic. He thought it was a good incentive for us to stay. It was a good reminder that we weren't wanted in the magical world. It was our failure. I don't know if it does anything." All of the wizards in attendance gathered around and cast spells on it. I fastened my eyes closed, still seeing flashing colors through the red of my eyelids. It was like fireworks. But, no matter the magic, nothing happened to change the fact that it would not come off.

"I believe it's actually blood activated over magically inclined to stay. This man, The Keeper, must surely be the one blood bound to it. We'd have to find him to remove it. Do you know where he is?"

I nodded no. "I know he's somewhere in Venice. Are you going to find him? There are over 20 of us still there. The others were never quite like me. They have no hope and they refuse to run away thinking that their parents would rather them be there with him, being sexually abused and whored out than at home safe. That's wizards for you." Everyone in the room tensed.

"We will attempt to. It's not really our area of expertise though. We deal with dark arts more than anything, catching the remaining followers of Voldemort who continue to reek havoc upon the wizarding world." Some other guy who'd never introduced himself said.

"How caring of you" I said angrily. The high and mighty attitude of wizards pissed me off. I was beyond the point of feeling scared and worried. I was without hope. They would fail me, unwilling to catch a fellow wizard who was harming squibs. We were no better than muggles if not worse since we had the inclination and failed with our genetics. The Keeper was right about wizards. I would be caught and sent back.

The wizards gathered into a circle and talked heatedly, leaving me to my own thoughts which suited me fine. It was when they turned to me, with a gleam in their eyes that I got worried.

"Dior, we have a proposition for you; a way to catch The Keeper if you will."


End file.
